1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multipolar and miniature connector structure which enables the fitting and release of, for example, connectors of an instrument panel side (a wire harness side) and connectors of a meter side (a dashboard side) of a vehicle with a small operating force.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 10-72660, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
as an example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 6-325822 discloses a connector of the above-described type shown in FIGS. 4A to 7. The connector 1 includes levers 3 pivotably supported by an axis 2a extending toward opposite sides of the connector 1, a male connector housing 2 and a female connector housing 6. The male connector housing 2 is attached movably in a front-to-rear direction relative to the inside panel 5a of an instrument panel 5 of a vehicle via a bracket 4. The female connector housing 6 has projections 6a, 6b on its sides. The projections 6a, 6b can respectively slide on a pair of arm portions 3a, 3a of levers 3 while holding the arm portions 3a, 3a therebetween. The male connector housing 2 is fitted to and released from a hood portion 6c by the female connector housing 6.
Under the female connector housing 6, there is provided a rail portion 9 for supporting movably back and forth a slider 8 pivoted by a screw member 7 at its distal end. The slider 8 is adapted to receive a rod-like slider attaching portions 3b of the lever 3 in a recess 8a thereof. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the lever 3 is turned in a front-to-rear direction of both male and female connector housings 2 and 6 by rotation of the screw member 7, the fitting and releasing operations of both housings 2 and 6 are performed, via the projections 6a, 6b, with a small force by action of leverage (an assistor).
As shown in FIG. 7, a meter (a dash board) M is attached through bolts and nuts (not shown) under the inside panel 5a of the instrument panel 5.
In the above-described connector 1, however, since the levers 3 are actuated by rotating the screw member 7 with a tool such as a screw driver or the like, an area is needed for operating the levers 3, so that the connector structure is relatively large. Further, since the screw members are independent for fitting both male and female connector housings 2 and 6 and securing the meter M to the underside of the inside panel 5a of the instrument panel 5, the attachment operation is troublesome.